Inventive dishes to satisfy meat-lovers and vegetarians alike. Freeze ahead recipes to give you a head start.
Wild Mushroom and Mozzarella Risotto Cakes
Serves 6
30g butter
200g wild or chestnut mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
300g Arborio rice
75ml white wine
800ml vegetable stock, hot
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
125g buffalo mozzarella ball, cut into 12 pieces
4 tbsp plain flour, seasoned
3 tbsp sunflower oil
l Heat 20g of the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat until foaming. Add the mushrooms and fry for 3-4 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid and set the mushrooms aside.
l Return the pan to the heat, add the onion, garlic and remaining butter and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until reduced to almost nothing. Add a ladleful of stock and simmer until nearly absorbed. Keep adding the stock until the rice is al dente – about 20 minutes. Fold in the thyme and mushrooms. Season, cool slightly, then chill until cold.
l Shape the risotto into 12 cakes. Make a hole in the centre of each and press in a piece of cheese. Cover by squeezing the sides together. At this stage you can freeze up to 3 months.
l Roll cakes in the flour. Heat the oil and fry the cakes, in batches, until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve with your favourite chutney or cranberry sauce.
Goat’s Cheese and Cranberry Parcels
Serves 6
400g beetroot, scrubbed
1 tbsp olive oil
200g baby spinach leaf, washed
1 small onion, finely sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
50g dried cranberries, you can find at big supermarkets
Flour for dusting
500g fresh puff pastry, from bakeries
1 egg beaten
Poppy seeds, for sprinkling
l Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Put the beetroot in a roasting tin, drizzle with the oil, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss together. Roast for 45 minutes, turning halfway or until tender. Set aside to cool and then remove the skins.
l Meanwhile, put the spinach with just the water that clings to its leaves in a large pan and cook over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes, until wilted. Tip into a colander and squeeze out any excess moisture. Cut the beetroot into wedges and mix in a large bowl with the spinach, cheese, onion, chilli, cranberries and some seasoning. Set aside.
l On a lightly floured surface, thinly roll out the pastry and cut out 6 x 15cm squares. Divide the filling between the centre of each pastry square. Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg and fold the corners over the filling, pressing to seal and form a neat parcel. You can freeze for up to 1 month at this stage.
l Place seal-side down on a large baking sheet. Brush with egg and sprinkle with the poppy seeds. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until puffed up and crisp.
l Serve with steamed vegetables drizzled with olive oil and balsamic dressing.
Cranberry Sauce with Vodka
Serves 8
450g fresh or frozen cranberries
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 clementine
4 tbsp vodka
75g caster sugar, or to taste
l Put the cranberries, zest, juice and vodka into a pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until the cranberries begin to burst.
l Stir in the sugar, to taste. Set aside to cool. Serve at room temperature.
